The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1887-04-30
A LOCKER ON.

EDITOR lNTELLIGENCER: - When a
man goes to church and takes look at
the church members and then look at
the world, he is not little bothered in
his mind if he ever stops to think. In
the days OF the apostles the word of
God prevailed then. We'll, perhaps it
prevailed then, but it don't prevail
nowadays. Some one may ask why do
you think that the word don't prevail
in this age? Well, few days ago |
went to chucrh and listened to a dry
sermon on mission work, there were
only about forty or fifty of us. AsI
came home could see people sitting in
their houses reading the news OF the
day; men standing Oh the street in
small squads talking to each other
about railroad legislation. L asked nv.
self what is the trouble, why is it that
SO few go to church, Why is it that
the men don't attend the religious sell
vices of today know OF but one
answer to the above questions, and that
is the word of God is not preached any
more as it was by the apostles. The
preachers and members of the different
churches stand amazed at the indif-
ference of the people in general, and
wonder why it is that so few attend
preaching. Men OF the world stand
and wonder at the religious world, that
there is so little difference between the
professor and non professor. stopped
and sized up worldly man, and |
find that all his thoughts are to make
money; he seems to have just Que idea,
aud that is money or its equivalent
then sized up the preachers and the
church members OF the different de-
nominations, and | find one idea pre-
valling with them, and that is money.
look at the world, | see the theater,
opera, park and concert, all these are
80 many machines to make money. L
then turn to the different churches and
find park festivals, harvestcr's concerts,
church dinnesr, suppers, mask parties,
jug breaking, mite societies and many
others. L ask, what mean these?
Answer: So many machines to make
money. But of course as the last
named list is for the Lord church,
that makes it tidy. Christians, shame !
Hide thy face! The world bushes at
your consistency, to coin money.
There is no precept, command or ex-
ample in the word OF God for any such
machinery in the church of God. IfI
ever the word Of God grows and in
creases in the hands of the church as
in the days OF the apostles, there must
be rapid return to the old gospel.
When the preachers quit theorizing and
preach the word. Then, and moi until |
then. will the truth prevail. Where
can be found people that meet in |
love to honor the Lord in spiritual
worship as they did in the davs of
Paul! How does the worship of to-day
compare with the solemn worship of
the apostolic age? Does not the wor-
ship of to-day in all the cities look
more like worldly entertainment en-
gagged in more for social enjoyment
than the solemn worship of the Lord!
Is not the preacher of to-day more of "A
religious lecturer than real, true Cos
pei man! The world has lost conf
tnce in churches and church members.
aud something must be done to restore
confidence, or all is, and will be lost
Preachers have not only left off preach
ing the old Jerusalem gospel, that is if
they ever did preach il, but they fail
to practice according TO the new tes,a-